Human incubator



Sept. 2l, 1937. p, s mcg 2,093,648

HUMAN INCUBATOR Filed lay 7, 1934 l2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 5 j? 0 O O .se'pfn21, 1931.

P. s. RICE 2,093,648 HUMAN INcUBAToR Fhed lay 7, 1934 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patentedl Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4Ciaims.

My present invention relates to incubators and more particularly tothose of a type designed for the nurturing and care of infants which,be-

vcause of premature birth or other reasons, are too delicate for usualtreatment, and it has for its object to provide a device of thischaracter which will be simple in construction, effective in operationto maintain the infant under favorable conditions for its developmentand will be convenient for attendants in use. The improvements aredirected in part toward the mounting of the bassinet or holder andtoward the provision of automatically-acting instrumentalities wherebyboth the temperature and the humidity of the l5 air within the incubatorare held at scientifically correct points for the best results.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof this specification.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of an incubator constructed in accordancewith and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view therethrough 4 Fig. 3 isa longitudinal central vertical section;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan of the electrical circuit arrangements;

Fig. 5 is a `detail transverse section through the water reservoir,showing an end view of the humidifier; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal central section through a mercurialswitch that is used.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I indicates a sheet metalor similar casing having an incubating chamber 2 therein andembodying atop frame 3 to which is hinged at I a door l having a glass panel Bthrough which the interior may beobserved, said door beingfitted with asuitable handle and stop 3. The door is smaller than the opening in theframe on one dimension at least to provide vents I for the circulationof air. Thel air enters near the bottom through openings 3 and ispreferably filtered through suitable pads I0, such as fiocculent cotton,held in pockets by hinged door frames II. It should be noted that thearea of the inlet openings 3 is very much greater than the area of thedischarge opening or vent 1, in order to obviate the possibility of areversal of air flow through the incubator whereby cold or unconditionedair might enter the incubator through the discharge opening and subjectthe infant to chilling. (See Figs. 2 and 3).

An Open wire mesh bassiiriet I2 is suspended from the under side of thetop frame 3 on brackets I3 and contains the mattress I4 and such otherfittings as the infant requires.

A raised bottom for the incubating chamber 2 is furnished by a flatwater tank or reservoir I5 to be filled at I6 and on the upper deck ofwhich is an electric lamp I1 of sufficient power to accumulate a desiredamount of heat within the chamber 2. This lamp which may be a 260 wattlamp, is under the control of a thermostat I8 mounted, in the presentinstance, on the exterior of an end wall of the casing with its heatinduction element I9 passing through the wall and embracing the bassinetat 2U. The circuit arrangements thereof, as well as those of otherelements about to be referred to, will be later described.

Another heating element for evaporating moisture, embodying a hot pointor resistance coil of the usual type is also mounted on the upper deckof the bottom tank by means of a bracket 2I and embodies a horizontalcylinder 22, with the surface of which contacts a wick 23 weighted at 24to depend through a slot 25 in the top of the tank and be immersed inthel body of liquid, indicated at 26. This heating element 22 which maybe a 300 watt unit or may have a range from 200 to 600 watts, iscontrolled by a humidostat 21 arranged on the head or end wall ofbassinet I2 in the region of the infants breathing. The humidostat is ofthe electric contact type in which the contacts thereof are normallyclosed while the relative humidity within the chamber is below apredetermined value but .when the predetermined value of relativehumidity is reached in the chamber, these contacts are opened. Thecircuit of the heater 22 includes contacts 23 at one end of a doublepole, double throw mercurlal tube switch 29 containing a body of mercury30 and shown in detail in Fig. 6. A similar pair of normally openterminals 3| at the other end of the tube are in circuit with a dangeror signal light 32 on the wall of the casing I. A iloat 33 in tank I5yhas a stem 34 extending therethrough and provided with a bifurcated endengaging a projection 35 on the end of tube 23 which is centrallypivoted'at 36 on a bracket 31. When the level of the water 26 dropsbelow the lower end of wick 23 the float 33 drops reversing the angle oftube 23'so that the circuit is broken at 23 through element 22 and acircuit is made at 3I through danger light 32 informing the attendantthat more water must be supplied.

The foregoing is an exposition of the mechanical elements and functionsof the apparatus. 5 The electric circuit connections are shown in Fig. 4and as soon as the mechanical parts are in the positions of Fig. 3, asindicated, the circuits are as follows. 'Ihe circuit for the heatinglamp I1 is traceable from the lead-in conductor 38, upper blade of themaster switch 43, conductor 40, contacts of thermostat I8, conductor 4|,lamp I1, conductor 42, lower blade of the master switch 43 to the otherlead-in conductor 39. The circuit for the heating unit 22 of thehumidifier, which circuit is in multiple with that last described istraceable from the lead-in Iconductor 38, upper blade of the masterswitch 43, conductor 44, heating unit 22, conductor 45, contacts 28 ofthe mercurial switch, conductor 46,contacts of the humidostat 21,conductor 41, lower blade of the master switch to the other lead-inconductor 39. The alarm circuit for the lamp 32 which indicates failureof the water supply in the reservoir, is likewise completed in multiplewith the circuits just described. This circuit extends from the lead-inconductor 38, upper blade of the master switch 43, conductor 48,contacts 3l, conductor 50, lamp 32, conductor 49, lower blade 43 of themaster switch to the other lead-in conductor 39. l l

By the use of my apparatus, not only the proper degree of heat ismaintained but a proper humidity is contributed to the air entering at 9and escaping at 1 after passing the infant, because if it rises too highthe humidostat in the bassinet will open the circuit through humidifyingheater 22 and restore it only when the humidostat calls for moremoisture and this is always available as long as the danger light 32 isdeenergized, while the thermostat I8 takes care of the heat factorthrough the lamp I1, the heater 22 not being suilicient to overheat thechamber by itself.

I claim as my invention:

1. An incubator for persons comprising a cabinet, a bed supported withinsaid cabinet adjacent the topA thereof, said cabinet having an inletopening therein below said bed and having an outlet opening thereinabove said bed, said outlet opening being materially smaller than saidinlet opening, an air filter associated with said inlet opening, meansfor introducing heat and moisture into said cabinet below said bedwhereby air enters the'cabinet through said inlet open- 55 ing and afterbeing filtered, heated and moistened, rises by convection to flow pastsaid :bed and thence through said outlet opening, and thermostatic andhumidostatic means responsive to the temperature and relative humidityof the air in the cabinet for controlling said heat and moistureintroducing means. 2. An'incubator for persons comprising a cabinet, abed supported within said cabinet adjacent the top thereof, said bedhaving at least one side and one end thereof spaced from the adjacentside and end of the cabinet to provide a passage, said cabinet having aninlet opening therein below said bed and having an outlet openingtherein above said bed, said outlet opening being materially smallerthan said inlet open'- ing, means for filtering air introduced throughsaid inlet opening, means for introducing heat into said cabinet belowsaid bed whereby air entering the cabinet through said inlet openingafter being heated rises by convection to flow through said passage'andthence through said discharge opening, and thermostatic means responsiveto the temperature of the air in the 'cabinet for controlling said heatintroducing means.

3. An incubatorv for `persons comprising a cabinet, a bed supported insubstantially horizontal position within the cabinet adjacent the topthereof, said bed having its sides and ends spaced from the adjacentinner side and end walls of the cabinet whereby an air passageencompasses said bed, said cabinet having an inlet opening therein belowsaid bed and having an outlet opening therein above said bed, saidoutlet opening being materially smaller than said inlet opening, an airfilter covering said inlet opening, means vfor introducing heat intosaid cabinet below said bed whereby air entering the cabinet throughsaid inlet opening after being heated, rises by convection to flowthrough said passage and thence through said outlet opening, andthermostatic means responsive to the temperature of air in the cabinetfor controllingsaid heat means. l

4. An incubator for persons comprising a cabinet, a bed supported withinsaid cabinet adjacent the top thereof, said cabinet having an`inletopening therein below said bed and having an outlet openingtherein above said bed, said out' let opening being materially smallerthan said inlet opening, an air filter associated with said inletopening, means for introducing heat into said cabinet below said .bedwhereby a1r enters the cabinet through said inlet opening and afterbeing filtered and heated, rises by convection to iiow past said bed andthence through said outlet opening, and thermostatic means responsive tothe temperature of the air in the cabinet for controlling said heatintroducing means.

PAUL s. RICE.

